Tuesday, December 7, 2010

This week's Shades Old Photo On Twitter is Walter Lian - a very happy baby. He isn't 19th Century, but I believe he's just a few years off. His smile is almost a look of surprise and you have to wonder if he has made a noise with the bell in his hand that wasn't expected.

What The Photograph Tells Us:

(1) The card mount measures 6 in. X 8 in and is 1.55mm thick. The photograph measures approximately 4 in. by 5 1/2 in. The edges of the card are beveled, the corners are rounded. The card stock is textured, the original color appears to be a darker brown (matte finish) front, lighter tan back, and a creme colored bevel.

(2) The photographer’s imprint on the front (recto) of the photograph lists the photographer as Holand, Grand Forks, N.D.

(3) Handwritten in ink on the verso is William Lian (under year old). Barely legible at the bottom of the card is Viola Hansen.

(4) Walter is wearing a white eyelet long gown. His hair is bowl cut with no part. The chair he is sitting on is a wicker and bentwood chair in a sled or chaise form. He holds a bell. The background is well done and of a high quality. Care and attention have been taken to the cropping of the photograph and its mounting on the card stock.

Card Analysis:

The card is consistent with mounts of the early to mid-1900s in both size, thickness, texture, bevel, and color.

Photographer and Imprint Analysis:

The card lists the place of business as Grand Forks, N.D., not territory, but the state of North Dakota. North Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The oldest the card could be would be the year 1889.

An Albert Holand/Holland is found in Grand Forks, North Dakota, owning his own photographic business in both 1900 and 1910. Holland immigrated from Norway in 1884 and is listed in the 1910 census as 44 years old. I find no Albert Holand and no photographer listed for that section of Grand Forks in 1920.

Conclusion: Holand could have been in business as early as November 1889 (North Dakota statehood - he would have been 18 years old) and as late as December 1919 (1920 census enumerated in January). This is a thirty year span of time and not particularly helpful to dating the photograph.

At this point Grand Forks' directories and newspapers should be researched for further information on Albert Holand.

William Lian Analysis:

Lian is a fairly uncommon surname. There are only 131 Lians listed in total for the 1880 - 1920 census. No Walter Lian is found in the 1900 or 1910 census for Grand Forks or for anywhere in the United States. A Walter K. Lian is found in the 1920 census for Sheridan, Montana. He is the step-son of twenty-eight year old Edward Corey, a coal miner, and Corey's thirty-seven year old wife Laura. According to the census Walter was born in North Dakota and is thirteen years old as of January 17, 1920.

We have absolutely no proof this is the Walter Lian in the photograph. Assuming it is, Walter would have been under a year old in 1907. Birth certificates as well as the Ancestry census for 1900 and 1910 should be explored for further information on Walter.

Clothing and Furniture Analysis:

The long white eyelet gown worn by Walter is consistent with what was called a day gown and was worn by both boys and girls in the early 1900s. His bowl cut hairdo is not significant, as babies' hair was what it was, conforming only to what the child was born with.

Most photographs during this period of history were taken to commemorate one of life's passages or a special occasion. We have nothing here to indicate a passage or a special occasion.

Before the turn of the century, Victorian-style wicker became extremely popular. The Victorian style was highly fanciful with an abundance of curves, curlicues and intricate patterns. However, early in the 20th century, public taste veered toward straighter lines and more simple designs in wicker.

This wicker piece, which looks like a small sled or chaise, is much less ornate than the Victorian style of the turn of the century and is consistent with other furniture pieces I have found dated between 1900 and 1910.

Conclusion: The clothing and furniture are consistent with the period 1900 - 1910.

The photograph in relation to the mount, photographer, clothing, and furniture is consistent with the period of 1900 - 1910. If the Walter Lian of the 1920 census is our pictured baby, then the photograph could be dated 1907.

This is far too much supposition and too little proof, but does show the process of analysis.

Note: An exception to the rule. In the analysis of small children and babies to determine if the child is a boy or girl, we often use the hair as a clue. Parted on either side is generally a boy child, parted in the middle is generally a girl child. With this photograph the child is identified as Walter, which we assume is a boy child. (I have never heard of a girl child being named Walter, but stranger things have happened.) Please note, Walter's hair is bowl cut with no part. An exception to the generality.Sources:

3 Comments:

What a treasure the photo would be to the family! I wonder if Liam night not be a middle name, and maybe researching Viola might also be helpful. At a quick glance, I didn't see a connection of a Viola Hansen to a Walter Liam but maybe there is one.

I have had the good fortune to return many photos and information to families. That is the joy of all this.

Thank you for all your suggestions. It would probably be prudent if I included the things I did that didn't pan out. My bad! I did try all the things you suggested. In the end it was about the analysis.

I think that Viola was the recipient of the photograph. Just a guess.

Lian turned out to be a surname, so I used it, but we know many Mother's gave their children their maiden names somewhere in the naming process. So this is just an educated guess.

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About Shades Of The Departed

I have been collecting photographs for over twenty years. This blog will discuss that collection, the types of categories I've developed for that collection, and the types of photographs I collect.
I will also share with you what I've learned or am learning about scanning, creating a database, analyzing and dating my collection, and anything else that strikes my fancy related to photography and my collection.

About The Collector

I am fascinated by the clues left in the photographs I collect. Every picture is a miniature mystery and I love a mystery.

My grandfather was a photographer who traveled with the famous Burton Holmes. I am fortunate to have original photographs by
both men.

When I was ten my grandfather gave me a camera as a birthday gift. It was evident that I did not inherit the "photographer gene."
I have taken only one photograph in my entire life that I liked, but I know a good one when I see it.

I am a great appreciator.

Fortunately, I don't take myself too seriously. I know enough about
collecting photographs to know I don't know everything, but I am learning.